F-Zero: GP Legend
is a TV anime series based on Nintendo's ''F-Zero franchise. It is a reboot of the franchise taking place in the year 2201. Lifeforms from all across the galaxy come to compete in the new racing tournament called F-Zero. The anime aired on TV Tokyo in Japan. In North America, the show was licensed and modified by 4Kids Entertainment. The show aired for a short time on the Fox network before it was canceled. Plot overview Police detective Ryu Suzaku (named Rick Wheeler in America) suffers a fatal car accident while in pursuit of an escaped criminal named Zoda. Ryu nearly dies, but is revived in the year 2201 by Mobile Task Force members Jody Summer and Dr. Stewart. The Task Force tries to keep prize money out of the hands of unsavory people like the Dark Million Organization run by Black Shadow and Deathborn. That organization is responsible for cryogenically evolving Ryu's old enemy Zoda. Now Ryu joins the Task Force to help take down Zoda and the rest of Dark Million. While pursuing his objectives, Ryu will unexpectedly meet up with the legendary racer and bounty hunter named Captain Falcon. Major characters Mobile Task Force A group of racers who are destined to thwart the plans of the Dark Million Organization: * : The protagonist and the hero of the English version. Rick was killed in an accident while chasing Zoda. He was revived 280 years later and joined the Elite Mobile Task Force. He is revealed to be the chosen Savior who will play an integral role in defeating Black Shadow. During the final battle, Captain Falcon tells him that the name of "Captain Falcon" is a title given only to the best, that "only the one who can exceed Falcon can become Falcon" and that from then on, Rick is Captain Falcon. After Black Shadow's defeat and Captain Falcon's sacrifice shortly thereafter, Rick is the new Capt. Falcon **Voice actor: Frank Frankson **Seiyū: Toshiyuki Morikawa * : The main protagonist in the Japanese version, he is shrouded in mystery. When not racing, he works at a bar that he owns under the name Bart Lemming. Also, he's actually Andy Summer, Jody's brother, who apparently died in the accident that revolved around Zoda. He fights constantly against Black Shadow and the Dark Million Organization, and often lends a hand to the Task Force. In the middle of the series, "The Legend of Falcon" is told to Ryu Suzaku by Dr. Stewart. According to the legend, Captain Falcon and Black Shadow are incarnations of light and dark, and in the manner of Yin and Yang, they can't defeat each other on their own. Also, in the beginning of the Universe, after the Big Bang, six powerful objects called "Reactor Mights" were created, and the one who controls them all gains unimaginable power. It is also revealed that Ryu Suzaku is "The Savior" of the Universe and is destined to finally tip the scales in Falcon's favor. In the end, Falcon and Ryu team up to destroy Black Shadow's Dark Reactor with their collected Reactor Mights, and both Falcon and Shadow are thrown into the exploding reactor. When an enraged Black Shadow flies through the air to attack Falcon, he jumps out of the Blue Falcon and uses a devastating Falcon Punch to destroy Black Shadow. Captain Falcon is then apparently consumed by the galaxy-sized explosion. His helmet is later recovered from the debris of Black Shadow's base and is then donned by Ryu, who becomes the new Captain Falcon. **Voice actor: David Willis **Seiyū: Hideyuki Tanaka * : The strict leader of the Elite Mobile Task Force, Jody comes down hard on anyone who messes up the mission, including even Lucy when she wants to join the team. She wants Rick Wheeler to be on her team. It is revealed early in the series that she isn't entirely human due to an accident she and her brother, Andy, were in years ago that revolved around Zoda. **Voice actor: Veronica Taylor **Seiyū: Kikuko Inoue * : A ladies' man who starts off as a rival against Rick, but later becomes his friend, even getting him out of trouble when Rick screws up. **Voice actor: Marc Thompson **Seiyū: Kazuki Yao * : Robert Stewart was once a surgeon but became a racer after his father, Kevin Stewart, died. Captain Falcon entrusted him to pass on the Legend of Falcon to Ryu Suzaku. **Voice actor: Dan Green **Seiyū: Nobuo Tobita * : Another female member of the Elite Mobile Task Force. She's young and very sweet, always trying to stay on everyone's good side. **Voice actor: Amy Birnbaum **Seiyū: Nana Mizuki * / Dr. Clash: An engineer who wants to become an F-Zero racer. **Voice actor: Maddie Blaustein **Seiyū: Isshin Chiba * Mr. EAD: Member of the Mobile Task Force. He is a fan of Kate Alen. **Voice actor: Wayne Grayson **Seiyū: Yasunobu Iwata * John Tanaka: Head cop of the Mobile Task Force. He is a fan of Kate Alen. **Voice actor: David Lapkin **Seiyū: Isshin Chiba The Dark Million Organization An evil organization who plots to win the F-Zero prize to fund their plans for universal domination. Among the major members are: * Black Shadow: The main villain of the series and leader of the Dark Million Organization. Black Shadow is a man of huge size, incredible strength, devious intelligence, supernatural powers and a sadistic personality. He hatches the grand scheme of taking the Reactor Mights for himself and not until the very end does his plans fail. The Reactors are the key to fulfill his beloved dream: To create the Dark Reactor which will make the Universe implode and be born anew as a cosmos filled with evil. He is shown to be incredibly patient and cunning, as insults or apparent setbacks are only met by his insane evil laugh, to his minions' perplexion. He rarely takes much physical action in his plans, mostly issuing orders and working behind the scenes, though when he must, he brings out his monstrous machine, the Black Bull. He also has mysterious powers that border on the magical, like sending rays from his body that cause pain to nearby people, to impersonating people by taking their shape. Black Shadow remains in control in the entire series until the very end, when Ryu and Captain Falcon manage to overload and destroy the Dark Reactor. Shocked and furious at his sudden defeat, he jumps out of his machine in the middle of the explosion to attack Falcon, but he is finally defeated when the Falcon Punch is unleashed upon him and he is utterly obliterated. **Voice actor: Eric Stuart **Seiyū: Norio Wakamoto * : A criminal who is brought back to life in the era this show takes place in by the Black Hand. He was the cause of Rick's accident 150 years ago. He was also cryogenically frozen and later awakened/transformed into an alien-like being by Black Shadow and his Dark Million Organization. He doesn't appear to like Black Shadow or Miss Killer that much. Later in the series, Zoda is able to transform into a stronger being known as "Hyper Zoda" after having a Reactor Might implanted in his stomach, first shown in episode 32 when he battles with Ryu and Falcon. Eventually, Black Shadow double-crosses him and throws him into the Dark Reactor to exploit the power of his Reactor Might. After the Dark Reactor's destruction at the hands of Ryu and Captain Falcon, Zoda miraculously survives the ordeal and shows up for the race in the epilogue, to Baba and The Skull's dismay. **Voice actor: Jamie McGonnigal **Seiyū: Shinpachi Tsuji * Misaki Haruka (Luna Ryder): Black Shadow's right-hand woman who is actually Rick's old girlfriend. She was in deep freeze when Zoda brainwashed her. She usually wins when she races, which is one reason why Black Shadow values her. Zoda doesn't appear to like her. Later on, she recovered her memories, which force Black Shadow to turn against her. She is later saved by Captain Falcon. In the last episode, she is working in the bar where Captain Falcon's secret identity previous work. **Voice actor: Bella Hudson **Seiyū: Sayuri Yoshida * Deathborn: Member of the Dark Million Organization and sitting chairman of the F-Zero Association. A cybernetic mystery, he is never seen talking, has inhuman strength and seems to be one Black Shadow's most secretive minions. When he is last seen, Ryu and Captain Falcon are stalking him in hopes of him leading them to Black Shadow. Captain Falcon however realizes that Deathborn is no other than Black Shadow. In his first appearance he is seen sitting in a dark observation room watching the F-Zero racers, like he was in the first trailer for F-Zero GX. * Don Genie: A wealthy and powerful gangster working with Black Shadow. When Deathborn is revealed to be Black Shadow, he also reveals to be Don Genie. * Octoman: Member of the Dark Million Organization. He joined the Dark Million Organization to keep his creditors at bay. **Voice actor: Eric Stuart **Seiyū: Takeshi Yamato * Bio-Rex: Member of the Dark Million Organization. **Voice actor: Marc Thompson **Seiyū: Takayuki Fujimoto * The Skull: Member of the Dark Million Organization. **Voice actor: Andrew Rannells **Seiyū: Takayuki Fujimoto * Pico: An ex-military pilot that works with Dark Million to carry out dangerous missions. **Voice actor: Sean Schemmel **Seiyū: Kenichi Mochizuki Other Characters * Samurai Goroh: Leader of a band of space pirates. He first encountered Ryu when he was looking for medicine for a boy, which had been stolen by a villainous gang of thieves whose leader was impersonating Goroh. After working together to defeat them, Goroh ties up Ryu and makes off with the loot, though not after leaving him with the medicine he needed. It is later revealed that Goroh helps the mobility task force by protecting them from antonio guster's grenade attack **Voice actor: Eric Stuart **Seiyū: Yasunobu Iwata * Lisa Brilliant: Member of Samurai Goroh's space pirates. She is also Samurai Goroh's wife. **Voice actor: Lisa Ortiz **Seiyū: Mayumi Asano * Michael Chain: Leader of a street gang. He one time forced a millionaire named Truman to capture top F-Zero Racers for the safety of his new girlfriend Dream. His plans were thwarted by Rick Wheeler, Lucy Liberty, Super Arrow, and Mrs. Arrow. **Voice actor: Dan Green **Seiyū: Tomoyuki Shimura * Clank: A boy from Planet Forno whose father Roy Hughes was supposedly killed by Zoda. Clank thought that Captain Falcon was the one who killed his father. His attempt to leave his planet by stealing Ryu's F-Zero machine was foiled by Captain Falcon who explained what really happened. He managed to go to Earth by stowing away on the Mobile Task Force's transport and acts as an assistant for Bart Lemming. In the epilogue, he is shown taking Ryu's place as the pilot of the Dragon Bird. **Voice actor: Suzanne Goldish * Antonio Guster: Member of Samurai Goroh's space pirates and Lisa Brillant's brother. Zoda persuaded him into poisoning Samurai Goroh. Only by losing the race did Antonio administer the antidote.He later joins Dark million in an attempt to destroy Goroh completely. Antonio is later betrayed by Goroh and is now dedicated to kill Goroh in millions of fans **Seiyū: Takeharu Ōnishi * Kate Alen: A famous pop star. Zoda tried to get her to join the Dark Million Organization with the help of Octoman and Bio-Rex. This was thwarted by Rick Wheeler and Mr. EAD. **Voice actor: Karen Niel **Seiyū: Ai Maeda * Silver Neelson: The oldest F-Zero Racer. **Voice actor: Marc Diraison (young) **Seiyū: Bin Shimada (old), Kenichi Mochizuki (young) * Mighty Gazelle: Roy Hughes was the father of Tek until his death at the hands of Zoda. His brain was placed inside a robotic body called the Mighty Gazelle. **Seiyū: Takayuki Fujimoto * James McCloud: An excellent F-Zero racer, he beats Rick once at a race. Later, Rick seeks out his guidance in training. He shares his name with Fox McCloud's father. Unknown to Rick, Jody and the others, he also trained members of Dark Million Organization :*Seiyū: Shinichiro Miki Music ; Opening Theme : "The Meaning of Truth (オープニング)" by HIRO-X * Intro Version 1 (eps. 1-39) * Intro Version 2 (eps. 40-50) (the new version reveals Zoda's transformation as well as a link between Miss Killer and Haruka doing their introduction) ; Ending Theme: 1. "Resolution" by Maeda Ai * Version 1 (eps. 1-39) * Version 2 (eps. 40-50) 2. "Forever" by Maeda Ai (ep. 51) All the original songs were on TV Tokyo. References External links